I spent $1,700 to get the Nostalgic Neg. film simulation. When I tried out-of-the-box default Nostalgic Neg., I was initially disappointed. It didn’t seem like anything special, or even particularly nostalgic. After a closer look, I saw the potential. The Nostalgic Neg. film simulation is like a cross between Eterna and Classic Chrome. It has soft tonalities in the shadows like Eterna, and warm colors are similar to Eterna, but with contrast and an overall palette more similar to Classic Chrome. There are some aspects that aren’t necessarily like either Eterna or Classic Chrome, but, for the most part, if Eterna and Classic Chrome had a baby, it would be Nostalgic Neg.
For this first Fujifilm X-Trans V Film Simulation Recipe, I wasn’t trying to emulate any specific film or process. I just wanted something that looked good. I simply attempted to create a better Nostalgic Neg., something that I would like shooting with. I hoped that perhaps it would even evoke feelings of nostalgia—that’s why I call this recipe Nostalgia Negative—and it would produce a vintage analog-like aesthetic. I think it does.
I really like this recipe for daylight situations. It does quite well in both midday and golden hour light. It’s pretty decent in shade, too. It’s not particularly well suited for indoor artificial light or nighttime photography, so I would avoid it for that. Otherwise, use it for landscapes, portraits, urban—it will look good for pretty much any genre of photography. I think this will be an instant favorite recipe for those with the latest cameras. Because this recipe uses Clarity, you cannot use the HEIF format, because HEIF disables Clarity. Also, for those who aren’t aware, Clarity causes the camera to pause briefly after each shot, similar to the amount of time it takes to advance to the next frame of film on an analog camera. I have Smooth Skin Effect Off, but I’m sure it’s fine if you enable it, either Weak or Strong, if you prefer.
This Nostalgia Negative Film Simulation Recipe is only compatible with (as of this writing) the Fujifilm X-T5, X-H2, and X-H2S. I assume that the GFX100S and GFX50S II can also use this recipe, but that it will render slightly different—I don’t have either of those cameras to test it to know for certain. Unless Fujifilm gives X-Trans IV cameras this film simulation, which I highly doubt that they will, this recipe is only for X-Trans V, and maybe the latest GFX, too; however, my Nostalgic Negative recipe for X-Trans IV cameras is actually not too far off from the Nostalgic Neg. film simulation, so you might appreciate using that recipe while you wait to get a camera with the new film simulation.
Film Simulation: Nostalgic Neg.
Grain Effect: Strong, Small
Color Chrome Effect: Strong
Color Chrome FX Blue: Weak
White Balance: Daylight, +3 Red & -3 Blue
Dynamic Range: DR400
Highlight: -1
Shadow: +1
Color: +4
Sharpness: -1
High ISO NR: -4
Clarity: -3
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 6400
Exposure Compensation: 0 to +2/3 (typically)
Example photographs, all camera-made JPEGs using this new “Nostalgia Negative” Film Simulation Recipe on my Fujifilm X-T5:
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Fujifilm X-T5 in black: Amazon B&H
Fujifilm X-T5 in silver: Amazon B&H
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Another stunner delivered. A well done first Trans5 recipe!!! Programmed into my T5 now.
Thanks so much! I appreciate your kindness!
Hey man you rock…was gonna ask when we were going to see a recipe after seeing yesterday’s post and your comment re: not liking SOOC for this film sim. Thanks ! I have one open slot on my new X-T5z.
I hope you have a few more open slots, because more is coming soon! 😀
Yup, I also kept a C-slot open on my XT5 in anticipation.. thanks, Ritchie! I particularly like the colors on “311”.
Awesome! There’s more coming soon, so you might need another couple of C-slots… 😀
Looks real nice, will shoot on this today.
Awesome!
Very informative post and awesome recipe! One question though. I know you mention that you need to use Clarity. Do you mind elaborating why? And what are the downsides of not using Clarity with this recipe?
As someone who often shoots in burst mode (and no patience), I try to avoid it.
There’s never a problem “seasoning to taste” any recipe. Feel free to modify it to make it work for you.
Clarity is a micro-contrast adjustment. When a negative Clarity is applied (such as with this recipe), it softens the image, and has a similar effect to using a diffusion filter. You can use a diffusion filter (such as 5% or 10% CineBloom, or 1/8 or 1/4 Black Pro Mist) in lieu of a negative Clarity adjustment, or just ignore Clarity altogether if you like the results without it. I hope this makes sense.
Thanks so much for the recipe, Ritchie! Initially, I had the same impressions of Nostalgic Negative. It appeared flat and lifeless to me. Then I started to use it with wide angle closeups with a large aperture. It started to sing to me and your recipe really perfected the look I was trying to achieve. I think this recipe works as a nice addition to Classic Negative. They are totally different looks. I have them in my first two custom slots. Keep up the great work!
Awesome! I have another recipe coming soon that uses Nostalgic Negative that might be my all-time favorite color recipe, but it is very limited in when it looks good, so keep a C1-C7 slot available. 😀
Been patiently waiting to see what you drop for X-T5, this seems like a fun one to try! I love the breakdown as well, could be a good elevation to the base settings.
Any thoughts on including spots for users to upload their own photos to the site?
I appreciate your kindness and feedback!
I’ve wanted to have a place where people can upload their pictures, but there are some obstacles. One is obviously the system to do it… for example, on the Community Recipes page, there’s a way to upload, but it barely works (as in, it really doesn’t work, but I make it work anyway, but just barely). So it would need a much better system than that. Then there’s data storage, which costs money. Next would be moderation, because there would be people uploading inappropriate things, or “pictures” that have nothing to do with Fujifilm or recipes, and those would have to be caught and removed by someone (likely, me). However, I do believe this would really help build community, so it is a great idea. I just haven’t figured out a good way to create and implement it.
Thanks so much! 😀
The colors are quite fantastic! Specially the pure ones have a tonality which I try to find, as is the case for the tree in Two Ducks, the crimson metal in 311, the blue in TO, and the gold in Golden Light Chair. I relate them to the afternoons when I was five years old in the 80’s and electricity was rationed in my country for some internal war, where I lived it was an old rented home with old things like rusted wooden frames and rockin chairs, some metal furnitures and advertisement of Coca Cola in metal too.
The other day I installed a trial version of DxO filmpack, I opened with it a few raws from my Fujifilm which I have for some meaningful photos. To my surprise it had the profiles of the Fujifilm film simulations. I wonder, surely I am not the first thinking this, if Fujifilm advertised more strongly their film simulations because most raw converters had issues with x-Trans sensors so they hoped photographers could use the jpegs without feeling the need for raws that would not have the same quality; now when raw converters can not only properly demosaicing the raws but have profiles of the film simulations, maybe Fujifilm, now that is an option for professional photographers, can rely in some collaboration with companies like DxO or lightroom. Nevertheless what makes me a bit hesitant about using raw converters is that I am not a professional, is hard to me to edit without crossing that limit in which a photo looks more a software interpretation than a photograph, with the recipes, setting all in camera, I can use from Velvia to Negative Standard and the photos look to my eyes like photos, is like the limitation of options to tweek has a coherence and is like shooting film, the photos look real. Sorry for the long comment, Ritchie; it was prompted by the idea that even when having the film simulations in raw converters still the experience is not close to have a recipe and just be in the moment.
It’s my understanding that Fujifilm doesn’t actually collaborate with any of the RAW editors (something Adobe was quite frustrated with in the early days of Fujifilm X, as they tried to figure out how to process X-Trans files), with the exception of Capture One, in which Fujifilm provided them some collaboration in exchange for offering Capture One free to Fujifilm users. For the most part, I think all of it is reverse-engineering and best-guesses.
I think with SOOC, it’s easier (don’t have to learn Lightroom, etc.), it’s quicker (don’t have to spend time manipulating files on a computer), it can be safer (don’t have to worry about over-editing; however, you do have to make sure you have the right recipe for the situation), it can be more authentic (photography viewers—not photographers—sometimes think that picture manipulation is a manipulation of the viewer, and that SOOC is more genuine, more honest), it can be more fun (similar to a film experience).
Don’t apologize for your comment, it was much appreciated. Thank you!
For some
Reason on this recipe I can only do dynamic range 200??
It’s ISO dependent. Increase the ISO and DR400 will become available.
https://fujixweekly.com/2023/07/13/answers-to-the-10-most-common-fujifilm-how-to-questions/
Hi, thank you for this amazing recipe. the only problem I have is why don’t know why, but l can’t select DR400%, only the 200%. is there something im doing wrong?
Thank you!
You need to increase the ISO, you have it set too low. The DR settings are ISO-dependent.
https://fujixweekly.com/2023/07/13/answers-to-the-10-most-common-fujifilm-how-to-questions/
A fast question. Which one? “Nostalgia Negative” or “Kodak Negative”?
On Kodak Negative I like more the skin tones and two other, the “Lake Lamp” and “Church Dome”, and on Nostalgia I like the photo with the “TRIUMPH”, the one with the car (on both the gradients are amazing) and the “Golden Tower”.
I’m looking at it as a replacement for Portra 400… as a daily driver.
For me, I prefer Kodak Negative. I like both, but between the two, that’s my preference.
Thank you, I was also leaning to Kodak Negative!
Works also great on the X-S20. Thanks a lot.
Awesome! 😀